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“Rules?” Rachel asks.

“C said to stay together. None of us was supposed to go anywhere alone, remember? So when you decided to go upstairs, I came with you. I—didn’t want to break the rules and get in trouble with Trick again.” My laugh is nervous, but becomes easier when C laughs too.

“No, you’re not the one in trouble. Here,” C says, grabbing a wet washcloth from the bathroom. “Get cleaned up.”

“Who’s with Zoe?” Rachel asks, straightening up and starting toward the stairs.

“About twenty people. She’s the center of attention as usual.”

“No crue?”

“The new guy, Miller. Zoe’s good.”

“Oh.” Rachel stops again and leans against the wall.

“Rachel, go downstairs and tell Miller to get someone else inside to stay with you and Zoe and then he’s to come up here. And don’t say anything else.”

“Okay, C.” Rachel goes downstairs without another word.

“How you doing?” C asks me.

“Not sure. All right, I think.” I grimace and shrug. “We didn’t have a choice. He tried to kill us.”

“I’m gonna grab some things. You all right to sit here by yourself?”

I nod.

“Good girl.” Then C goes into a bedroom.

It’s not Derrick Miller who ascends the stairs. It’s Trick, and he’s soaking wet from the rain. His eyes lock on me, but he slows as he passes the bathroom and looks in. He squats next to me, peering at my face and then scanning my body. His hands move over me, stopping to rest on my stomach.

When C reappears, he’s got a blanket and a jersey. “Put this on over your dress, Laurelyn.”

“Where’s the gun?” Trick asks.

C points to the weapon tucked into his belt.

I pull the jersey on over my head, and Trick hugs me.

“You’re getting her all wet,” C says.

Trick lets me go hesitantly.

“Is downstairs secure?” C asks.

Trick nods.

“Laurelyn, baby, you go down and stay with Rachel. We’re coming in a minute.”

“I’ll take her,” Trick says.

“Trick, we’re low on time. She’s good. Right, Laurel? You’re good?”

I nod, giving Trick’s arm a squeeze. “I’m okay. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

“Don’t wander. Stay right next to Rachel.”

“I promise.”